where they were, and what they did would launch a terrifying case. why did have to happen here? with a deadly end. nobody s leaving until we figure out what happened. a man at home, alone, and afraid. what would you do, if you felt in danger? they were really attacking his home. you have a right to protect your home, and to protect yourself. he planned. he prepared. and he was determined to kill. the most chilling detail of all. what you ll hear on tape. hello and welcome to dateline. growing up, cousins nick brady and haile kifer were close. nick loved to joke, and haile loved to laugh. the teenagers were together that cold, november day, when tragedy struck. the horrible incident was all there for police to hear, on a perfectly-clear recording. so, why was what happened so unclear? a mystery that would divide a community, and spark a national debate. here s kate snow with 12 minutes on elm street. 12 minutes. not a lon
Been replaying in my head, over and over. It was, all, very unbelievable. It happened On Thanksgiving. Two teenagers, missing. I just buried my head into my hands, and i started to cry. Where they were, and what they did would launch a terrifying case. Why did have to happen here . With a deadly end. Nobodys leaving until we figure out what happened. A man at home, alone, and afraid. What would you do, if you felt in danger . They were really attacking his home. You have a right to protect your home, and to protect yourself. He planned. He prepared. And he was determined to kill. The most chilling detail of all. What youll hear on tape. Hello and welcome to dateline. Growing up, Cousins Nick Brady and haile kifer were close. Nick loved to joke, and haile loved to laugh. The teenagers were together that cold, november day, when tragedy struck. The horrible incident was all there for police to hear, on a perfectlyclear recording. So, why was what happened so unclear . A mystery that woul
believe much of what she was learning about her son, tried to imagine herself, in byron s shoes. i don t believe that breaking and entering is right. and i don t wouldn t have expected it out of my son. it looked like a tragedy, all around. two intruders and a fearful homeowner, with no choice but to shoot them. we know you have a right to protect your home, and to protect yourself. but a quick survey of the scene told sheriff wetzel that the teenagers were unarmed. as with any shooting, it would require more investigation. it would be ordinary, with two people dead in a home, that nobody s leaving until we figure out what happened. beginning with one question. smith s house, fridayternn, only to learn that the break-in and shootings, happened thursday, on thanksgiving day. i asked him. i said, why didn t you call law enforcement?
managed to defend himself, and survived the break-in. if you break into somebody s home, you better not have an expectation you re going to walk out alive, because the law permits them to shoot you. wetzel was the sheriff. when two intruders broke into his house and crept downstairs, byron shot both of them, dead. minnesota law s clear on, this thing. you have the right to use deadly force against another person, if you believe your life or the life of another is in immediate jeopardy. as investigators continued to secure the scene at byron s house, the sheriff s office was calling another family. kimberly brady had been frantically trying to find her son nick and her niece haile. now, investigators knew what had happened to them. they drove out to speak with kimberly, and they brought a chaplain. as soon as i saw them turn the corner, the something i knew he was gone. i didn t know how or why. and then, all
motivation of having friends. and wanting to please friends. the evidence appeared to, all, be there. clearly, captured on that surveillance video. nick and haile had broken in, and byron smith seemed to have every reason to be afraid. the impression that he kind of left on me was that he was living in fear. he was not sleeping. it was, obviously, bothering him, physically and and emotionally. at first, even nick s mom, while she didn t want to believe much of what she was learning about her son, try today imagine herself, in byron s shoes. i don t believe that breaking and entering is right. and i don t wouldn t have expected it out of my son. it looked like a tragedy, all around. two intruders and a fearful homeowner, with no choice but to shoot them. we know you have a right to protect your home, and to protect yourself. but a quick survey of the scene told sheriff wetzel that the teenagers were unarmed. as with any shooting, it would require more investigation.